世博英语

Conversation

Sue: Welcome to class, Anna. I can’t wait to see your trash!

Sue: Oh, okay. Alright, it’s a — it’s a net with a … oh, it’s got a hole in it. Tell me about that.

Anna: This net said to me, “Anna, I used to catch stuff. I don’t anymore. So, use me, Anna.” That’s what it said. It said, “Use me, Anna.”

Sue: Okay. So…it’s a plastic helmet.

Anna: This plastic helmet said, “Anna. Hey, Anna, find me a head.”

Sue: Okay, um…and a broken toy.

Anna: This broken toy … this broken toy said to me – it said, “Anna, help me find fun.” “Help me, Anna” is what it said.

Sue: Anna, this stuff is not saying anything to you or me or anyone. It’s what we like to call in the business … garbage.

Anna: But you said to bring in trash.

Sue: Sometimes trash is treasure. Sometimes it’s just trash.

Sue: Anna, don’t worry. Next week, I could teach you decoupage.

Anna: Decoupage. Decoupage. That’s fun to say.

Sue: All you need to bring is a clean shoe box. A box that held shoes.

Anna: I got it. I got it! See you next week!

Prof. Bot: Ut oh. It looks like Anna doesn’t know the difference between treasure and trash. She thinks those things are telling her something!

Prof. Bot: The words tell and say have similar meanings. But we use them in different ways.

Prof Bot: Tell means “to inform or instruct someone with words” and is almost always followed by an indirect object. For example, Sue says, “Tell me about that.”

Prof. Bot: The word me is the indirect object and tells us who is being told.

Prof. Bot: Say means “to express something with words” and focuses more on the words used. For example, Anna says, “That’s what it said. It said, ‘Use me, Anna.’”

Prof. Bot: Listen for when Anna and Sue use tell and say.

Sue: Anna, welcome to Decoupage class. Decoupage is just gluing pretty pictures onto stuff.

(Sue gets a phone call.)

Sue: Anna, I’ve got to talk to this person. I’ll be right back. Don’t start without me.

Anna: Got it.

(Sue leaves to take her phone call. Anna gets glue everywhere. She becomes covered with glue and paper.)

Anna: Okay. I can fix this.

Sue: Anna, what happened? I told you to wait for me!

Anna: Actually, you told me not to start without you, which I didn’t. Your glue is really sticky.

Sue: Next week, let’s try lamp making. There’s – there’s no glue. Here’s a flier.

Anna: Thanks. See you next week.

Sue: Anna, you did really well this week. I think lamp making might be your thing!

Anna: Thanks, Sue. I did everything you told me to do.

Sue: Remember: I said to read the instructions really carefully. Where are those instructions?

Anna: Let’s just plug it in!

(Anna plugs in the lamp and, suddenly, the city loses electricity.)

Anna: So, what class will you be teaching next week?

Prof. Bot: Too bad Anna didn’t follow instructions! Visit our website for more on tell and say!

Conversation

Anna: (on phone, to Pete) Got it. Pete, I promise. I won’t tell anyone. (to herself) Bye. He is so strange.

Ashley: Hey, Anna!

Anna: Hi, Ashley!

Ashley: Are you talking to yourself again?

Anna: No, not this time. I was talking to Pete.

Ashley: How’s he doing?

Anna: Good. He has a birthday coming up! But he told me not to tell anyone.

Ashley: Why?

Anna: Well, from the way he was speaking, I don’t think he likes cake or presents or fun.

Ashley: That sounds like Pete.

Anna: Well, I don’t care. I’m getting him a present. Do you know where I can buy something unique?

Ashley: I do — Tanglewood Works. You will definitely find something unique there.

Anna: Great. I’ll go this weekend. Now, speaking of Pete’s birthday, what else should I do? I know. I’ll rent him a clown!

Ashley: Yeah, he’ll never speak to you again.

Professor Bot: Did you hear Ashley and Anna using the words talk and speak?

Talk and speak both mean “to say words.” And, many times, you can use either word without losing any meaning. But there are some differences in when we use these words.

The word talk is usually used:
for conversations between two or more people
and informal situations, such as between friends or family

For example, Ashley asks Anna: “Are you talking to yourself again?”

Speak is usually used:
for one-way communication, such as presentations
formal situations, such as a boss speaking with her workers
to talk about language ability
and in polite requests

Keep watching, and listen for the words talk and speak.

(Anna goes to Tanglewood Works.)

Sue: Hey there. Welcome to Tanglewood Works! I’m Sue. How can I help you today?

Anna: Hi Sue, I’m Anna. A friend told me about your store. She said, “Anna, this place is really unique!”

Sue: We are! Here at Tanglewood Works, we focus on things that are handmade, reclaimed and recycled.

Anna: Wow! That is really good for the environment.

Sue: It’s good for you too. Local artists made all of these one-of-a-kind pieces. And I paint most of the furniture.

Anna: Can I look around?

Sue: Oh, please do.

(Anna walks around the store.)

Sue: So, Anna, do you like to make things?

Anna: Me? Oh, no. Every time I try to make something, something goes wrong.

(She knocks down many things.)

Anna: Oh, sorry. Sorry.

Sue: It’s okay. Anna, everybody can make something.

Anna: Sue, this piece is very interesting!

Sue: You know, when I found these pieces, they were broken and in a dumpster. But they spoke to me. And they said, “Save me, Sue! Save me!”

Anna: Sue, what do you mean they “spoke” to you?

Sue: When I see something special that someone has thrown away, I can almost hear it talk.

Anna: It’s not saying anything!

Sue: Anna, it’s not easy to see the treasure in trash.

Anna: Or hear it talk.

Sue: But you can learn. In fact, I teach private classes. And one is called Turning Trash to Treasure.

Sue: Next week, bring in some trash and we’ll turn it into treasure. Just remember – pick some trash that “speaks” to you.

Anna: Got it! I’ll see you next week!

Professor Bot: Will Anna find trash that “speaks” to her? What will it say? We’ll find out next week!

Conversation

Anna: (to Penelope) That’s a great idea. (to Rick) Rick, I think we should use this as the opening shot.

Penelope: Anna, did Ms. Weaver give us instructions for covering the car show?

Anna: She did. She said that we need to show lots of cars. She said we need to interview people. And she also said that we should have fun.

Penelope: Those were her exact words?

Anna: Yeah. She said, “Have fun, Anna!” And she is the boss.

Anna: (to Rick) Okay, Rick, are you – are you ready? OK. Hello, I’m Anna Matteo. Welcome to the Washington Car Show!

Anna: People all over town are saying that if you like cars, this is the place to be! So, let’s see what people are talking about. (at Rick) How was that? Okay? Is that Good?

Professor Bot: Anna, Penelope and Rick are making a news story about the Washington Car Show. Ms. Weaver gave them instructions.

We often need to tell others what someone else said.

There are two ways to do this. One is to use the person’s exact words and use quotation marks. We call this “direct speech.”

For example, Ms. Weaver had said, “You need to show lots of cars.”

The other way is to talk about what someone said. We call this “reported speech.”

Anna tells Penelope: She said that we need to show lots of cars.

In this sentence, “she,” is the subject, “said” is the reporting verb, “that” is the conjunction and “we need to show lots of cars” is the reporting clause.

Keep watching, and listen for sentences where Anna talks about what someone else said!

Anna: This car show has many styles of vehicles. There are utility vehicles, classic cars, trucks, sports cars, and everyday vehicles.

Penelope: Okay, I think we got good interviews.

Anna: Me too! People had very different opinions. But they all said they loved cars.

Penelope: Anna, look — a robot!

Anna: A robot!

Penelope: A robot!

Anna: Rick, we have to use the robot in the show!

(They walk over to the robot. Anna begins to dance like a robot.)

Robot: What is your first name?

Anna: Anna! Anna!

Robot: Anna, you know, what an effort. What an effort to robot dance. How about a round of applause for Anna! I’ve never seen anyone try so hard.

Anna: Penelope, did you hear that? Hank the Robot said that he has never seen anyone dance like me.

Penelope: Uh, I think many people here are saying that, Anna.

Anna: That was fun. You know what someone told me? You can test drive a Jaguar at this car show.

Penelope: Now, that sounds fun.

Anna: Let’s go.

Penelope: Okay.

Anna: This course is smooth. So you can drive faster.

Anna: He said…that I can’t drive, unfortunately.

(They begin the test drive. Kurt, the stunt driver, does the driving.)

Anna: Oh my gosh…reverse.

Anna: That was great. This is awesome.

Kurt: Are you ready to go on the rollercoaster?

Anna: I’m ready.

Kurt: Here we go!

Anna: That’s awesome.

Anna: That was…That was awesome! I just want to go one more time. I promise. That’s it. Just one more time.

Anna: This course is bumpy and uneven. I was told that I could drive this course. So I am.

Anna: (to Rick) Okay, Rick, are you rolling? Awesome. Okay, this course is uneven. But I think the ride will be smooth.

Anna: Ooh. This hill is really steep.

Anna: Oh my gosh. I can’t tell you how much fun this is.

Anna: Penelope, that was so much fun! I think I need to go again.

Penelope: Uh, Anna, I think we have enough test drive video.

Anna: Ms. Weaver said to get a lot. So, I think I should go again. (to Rick) Rick, I’m going to go again. Until next time!

Penelope: But I want to get lunch, Anna!

Professor Bot: Penelope said she wants to go to lunch. But I don’t think that’s going to happen soon. Visit our website for more!